Apparatus for straightening weft in fabrics



Nov. 6, 1928.

G. DURRANT APPARATUS FOR STRA I GHTENI NG WEFT I N FABRI C S Filed March 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 6, 1928.

G. DURRANT APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING WEFT IN FABRICS Filed March 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

GEORGE DUKE-ANT, 0F 'GO'RTON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FDR, STRAIGHTENING VVEFT IN- FABRICS.

Application filed March is. 1923, Serial No. 262 266, and in Great'Britain April 19/1927.

This invention relates to apparatus for straightening the weft in fabrics as such are being fed to mangles, dry ng, stentering and other machines'after the fabrics have undergone other operations in which there has been a tendency to cause tight and slack selvages, as often occurs. for'1nstance, -1n bleaching operations where the fabric is traversed considerable distances through porcelaineyes at varying degrees of tension. By straighteningthe weft is meant, so operating'on the fabric being fed to one or other of themachines referred to, as to bring the weft from -'-a diagonal, arched, bowed or other irregular .=p0sitionto a position as near as'possible at right angles to the selvages.

The object of the invention is a new or imsproved-construction of apparatus for effecting-the desired straightening of the weft in fabrics.

According to the invention, the improved apparatus comprises a long cylinder made UFOfZU'PlUI- El lltY-Of short cylinders arranged '"end toend upon a common shaft and'all norma lly'f'ree to be driven or rotated by the fab ric, braking means being. provided for varying the peripheral speed of any of the short cylinders' according to the required correcti'on'of-the' weft.

The fabric to be treated is passed over the Composite cylinder prior to entering the manglej stentering 0r other-machine, and owing to its tensionfihe fabric presses frictionally upon -the cy-li'n'dersand rotates them about their shaft, provided they are free. If the Weft is not distorted," the cylinders are allowed to remain free, but should the Weft bedistorted, one or more of the cylinders is, -or are. held against rotation, or their rotation checked, by'the brakes,'w'ith'theresult that one part-of the width of the fabric can travel forward freely, while another-part or parts is or'are retarded. thereby, in the case 0f say the weftlying diagonal to the width of thefabric, mo'vin'g'forward one end of the weftwand retarding the-'ot-her'end until the whole Weft lies at right angles to the selvages, when the cylinders (previously held station- "ary or checked) are made'free and allowed to remain free until the weft again requires to be straightened.

In one example of the improved apparatus, "a shaftis providedanonnted at each end in suitable fi-Xedbeariags or supports. Upon sii i iW llaf lQ arefreelymounted, end to end terial.

at a' oint below" the reduced pa'rt '6f ach cylinder is 'apivo't'ed brake shoeflalid c0ntrolling such brake's'lroe, throli gltsu'itable' intermediate gear, is a han d lever. Suchintermediate gear maybe a- "W'edge;s'l' ajped' bar lying between two rollersfonebf Which-is'carried by a pivoted link-like member tinWhich the brake shoe rests and"theothefoPwhich 18 carried by a stationary sup "ort.

To protect the fabric from the" brake "surfaces, and also to provicleg'asnear as possible, a continuous or flush cylir'fdrial' surface for the fabrics to pass" over, tlieremay bea'segmental strap or'bandof'metalor'btlier suitable mater'i al lyingaroutid the reduced part of each cylinder, aeh; tra or band being supported by a 'ring-like j bearer mounted loosely on the cylinder sha'fflatfdscured at its lower part to a' fiXed'parto'f the "rfiatihine. The ring-like hearersal'sol'help to support the shaft -about which the c-yli'nders'rotate.

Upon the accompanying "drawing:

Fig. 1 isa front elevation, and v Fig. 2 an end'e'levation' of' weft stfaightenmg apparatus constructed according td the invent-ion.

Fig. 4 is anenlargedside'sebti'onal elevation detail parts hereinafter described.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged'fro'ntt elevationof'one of the short cylinders which collectively form the composite cylinder.

1 Referring to the drawingsflafa arethe shortcyl-inders, there being seven in the example shown. 7) is there'ddcedpart'or brake surface of each short cylinder drum. The

part of larger diameter is covered "with a closefitting sheath of'fri'ctional material (see'Fig.

0 is the shaft upon -whi'chthe cylindersare mounted, such shaft bein'g su'ppbrted in fixed bearings d, d,'an d bei'ng'he'ldstationarywhile the cyli-ndei's a. "were ail 'fi-iematly tm to rotate about said shaft. Anti-friction bearings may be provided, if desired.

6, e are the segmental brake shoes, one for each short cylinder and each pivotally con nected to a bracket f, mounted on a crossbeam 9 of the machine frame. Each brake shoe acts upon the lower part of the cylinder only.

To fill in the gap that would otherwise be left between the shoulder of one short cylinder and the end of the next, and also to provide a continuous or approximately continuous or flush surface for the fabric to lie against, a strip of polished or smooth brass or other suitable material it is provided, such strip completely encircling the part b of the cylinder except where the brake shoe comes, see Figs. 3 and 4. Each strip It is supported by a disc ring 2', loosely mounted on the shaft 0 and held against rotation and, in part, supported by a rod i connected to the beam 9.

The smooth face of the strip it offers little or no resistance to the fabric, while the surfaces of the cylinders afford a frictional resistance, and thereby cause the cylinders normally to rotate with the fabric as it passes over them.

To each brake shoe is fitted a short set-stud j, the inverted head of which bears against the top face of a member is, pivoted to the bracket Carried by said member 7:, and by a fixed bracket Z, are rollers m m one situated directly over the other. Between the rollers extends the wedge-shaped end of a bar n. At its other end said bar is pivoted to the lower end of a hand lever 0, see Fig. 2, said lower end of the hand lever projecting be tween fixed cross-rails p and p and abutting against the edge of the rail 79 (as shown) when the lever is pulled to its furtherest forward position. In such position, the brake shoe has its fullest braking eflect on its pulley a, whilst by moving the lever handle forward and drawing back the bar n from between the rollers m, m the braking effect is reduced in proportion.

The fabric requiring to be guided into a mangle, drying, stentering or other machine, and to have its weft corrected, is first threaded below a guide roller 15, then against a pair of independent pendulous cones r, 7 carried by spring-influenced swing arms a, s, then over the cylinders a, a, and finally below a further guide roller 9.

Normally, the hand levers 0 will be pushed forward and the brake shoes allowed to lie clear of the cylinders. As the fabric passes over them, thecylinders are rotated at the same speed and have no effect on the fabric. When, however, the weft is other than at right angles to the selvages, say one part lying in advance of another part, the cylinder below such advanced part is retarded by the attendant raising its brake shoe, and checking the further rotation of the cylinder, until all the weft is again in line, when the cylinder is released and allowed to revolve freely with the other cylinders. The attendant will usually pull over the hand levers, one by one (or two by two) at any point in the width of the fabric, releasing them and checking them individually (or in series) as may be necessary.

While hand-lever control of the brake shoes will usually be sufficient, it will be apparent that the control may be automatic. For such purpose, variations in the tension of the fabric, after passing below the guide roller 9, or before passing over the pulleys a, a, may be used to move levers, which, in turn, will operate the brake shoes, any undue slacking (or tightening) of one part of the fabric causing the levers to move in (or out) and thus check or release the cylinders.

The cones r, 1" by being independent of one another, take up any uneven tension in the fabric.

lVhat I claim is 1. Apparatus for straightening weft in fabrics, characterized by a relatively long cylinder made up of a plurality of short cylinders arranged end to end and all of which are normally free to be driven or ro tated by the fabric, by braking means for varying the peripheral speed of any of the short cylinders according to the required correction of the weft, and by guide cones axially and pivotally mounted in the path of the fabric on the inlet side of the machine, and springs for holding the cones yieldingly against the fabric to tension same, as set forth.

2. In apparatus for straightening weft in fabrics, a plurality of relatively .short friction cylinders, each formed with a reduced part at one end, a shaft upon which said cylinders are mounted end to end and upon which they are normally free to rotate, a brake shoe for each cylinder adapted to contact with the reduced part, or to lie clear of same, and means for controlling the brake shoes individually, as set forth.

3. In weft straightening apparatus as claimed in claim 2, a pivoted brake shoe for each cylinder, a set-stud and a pivoted member for supporting said shoe, a bar with. wedge-shaped end lying between a roller carried by said pivoted member and a further carrier roller carried by a fixed support p0 sitioned beneath the first roller and a lever for moving the bar to and fro between the rollers, as set forth..

4. In apparatus for straightening weft in fabrics, a plurality of relatively short friction cylinders collectively forming a single long composite cylinder, equal approximately to the width of the fabric, each cylinder having a part with reduced diameter at one end, a long stationary shaft upon which said cylinders are mounted, anti-friction bearings for each cylinder, a brake shoe for each cylinder, means for supporting the brake shoe to cause it to contact with the cylinder or lie clear of same, a stationary ring adjacent the part With reduced diameter of each cylinder, and a strip of smooth material carried by said ring and surrounding the reduced part of the cylinder except Where the brake shoe comes, as set forth.

5. In apparatus for straightening Weft in fabrics, a plurality of relatively short friction cylinders, each formed with a reduced part at one end, a shaft upon which said cylinders are mounted end to end and upon Which they are normally free to rotate, a brake shoe for each cylinder adapted to contact with the reduced part, or to lie clear of same, and means for controlling the brake shoes individually, a pair of independent guide cones, springs for exerting a pull on the cones, and guide rollers for the fabric to pass over on its Way to and from the cylinders, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE DURRANT. 

